Bendigo Gets $47m Social Housing Boost

Bendigo is in line for a housing boost with 120 new social and affordable dwellings slated for the regional city.

The $47-million project will begin next year, providing 117 direct and 410 indirect local jobs during the construction of the homes.

Minister for Housing Richard Wynne said the new homes would replace 64 existing homes, and would provide a modern transformation of the area, as well as affordable housing for key workers.

Wynne said current residents would receive the first opportunity to move into the new homes.

It is part of Victoria’s Big Housing Build, a $5.3-billion program, which would deliver more than 12,000 new homes and boost the state’s social housing supply by 10 per cent.

Wynne said $1.25 billion had been allocated to regional areas and that the program would generate 10,000 jobs during its four-year rollout period, with at least $85 million to be spent in Bendigo.

“We’re making sure regional Victoria shares the benefit of ... the largest single investment in social and affordable housing by any government in Australia’s history,” Wynne said.

Bendigo’s Eaglehawk development is the latest in a string of Big Housing Build projects announced so far for Ascot Vale, Ashburton, Collingwood, Flemington, Hawthorn, Richmond, South Yarra, West Heidelberg and Ballarat, to create a total of 1630 homes.

Between 2016 and 2036, the population for the City of Greater Bendigo is forecast to increase by 43,814, an average annual increase of 1.67 per cent.